From this article in Aviation Now (Aviation Week & Space Technology):

U. S. intelligence agencies believe China performed a successful anti-satellite (asat) weapons test at more than 500 mi. altitude Jan. 11 destroying an aging Chinese weather satellite target with a kinetic kill vehicle launched on board a ballistic missile.

The Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, the Defense Intelligence Agency, NASA and other government organizations have a full court press underway to obtain data on the alleged test, Aviation Week & Space Technology will report in its Jan. 22 issue.

If the test is verified it will signify a major new Chinese military capability.

Neither the Office of the U. S. Secretary of Defense nor Air Force Space Command would comment on the attack, which followed by several months the alleged illumination of a U. S. military spacecraft by a Chinese ground based laser.

China's growing military space capability is one major reason the Bush Administration last year formed the nation's first new National Space Policy in ten years, Aviation Week will report.

"The policy is designed to ensure that our space capabilities are protected in a time of increasing challenges and threats," says Robert G. Joseph, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the U. S. State Dept. " This is imperative because space capabilities are vital to our national security and to our economic well being," Joseph said in an address on the new space policy at the National Press Club in Washington D. C.

Details emerging from space sources indicate that the Chinese Feng Yun 1C (FY-1C) polar orbit weather satellite launched in 1999 was attacked by an asat system launched from or near the Xichang Space Center.

The attack is believe to have occurred as the weather satellite flew at 530 mi. altitude 4 deg. west of Xichang located in Sichuan province. Xichang is a major Chinese space launch center.

Although intelligence agencies must complete confirmation of the test, the attack is believed to have occurred at about 5:28 p.m. EST Jan. 11. U. S. intelligence agencies had been expecting some sort of test that day, sources said.

To hear some people, it's only the US that is "militarizing space." Tain't so.

Oh...Em...Gee...

Nice, nice. When and where first orbital laser?

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Nice, nice. When and where first orbital laser?

I don't know about an orbital laser, but the above linked article did say this:

Neither the Office of the U. S. Secretary of Defense nor Air Force Space Command would comment on the attack, which followed by several months the alleged illumination of a U. S. military spacecraft by a Chinese ground based laser.

The US wants a space based laser but so far it doesn't seem likely one will be funded any time soon. There's a large model (more of a wet dream) of a space based laser hanging inside the Air Force Space Command building. That seems to be about the extent of it.

Someone pleeeeaaaaase think of the space debris!

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Nice going China. Finally figured out how to elegantly guide a device to a specific location in space to turn one piece of space junk into hundreds. They can be really proud of that achievement. /sarcasm

I think that goal of China is simple - to assure that Bush sign proper treaties about that kind of weapons in space. Wonder why USA don't want to do that...

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Butterfly.

I think that goal of China is simple - to assure that Bush sign proper treaties about that kind of weapons in space. Wonder why USA don't want to do that..

A treaty is just a piece of paper to be discarded when inconvienent. I doubt the Chinese would spend all that money to develop an ASAT capability with the goal of getting a signature on a piece of paper. More likely, this is another weapon in their inventory to be used when they see fit.

As for the debris, preliminary indications seem to indicate hundreds of trackable pieces and probably thousands of pieces too small to consistently track. Some estimates are that the larger pieces will stay in orbit for 10 years or more.

I sincerely doubt this represents an immediate threat to US space interests. Lets face it, China can hate us all they want, but they're economically dependent on us, like it or not. This feels more like something to put in the face of the Indians and Japanese. Nations immediately bordering China, with various conflicting interests with China, that might not be so ruthless in response to an orbital attack.

Here's a good article discussing history and utility of ASAT weapons: http://www.cndyorks.gn.apc.org/yspac...unt_arrows.htm

Several planned or currently operational U.S. missile defense systems probably have (or will have) significant ASAT capability: http://www.ucsusa.org/global_securit...e-systems.html

There's also an article on news@nature about the potential hazard posed by this test.
Here's the link: http://www.nature.com/news/2007/0701...070115-14.html

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That's why --during an extended, elevated stand-off--you time your attack during a meteor shower to mask the loss of both mil-sats.

We attacked you?

prove it.

Dunno, most meteor showers seem to go off without a hitch in orbit. Unless you're thinking about a major buncha rocks passing through, in which case, its moot, because they'll be shaking in their boots over the integrity of their orbital hardware like us.

You know that and I know that--but it still gives them "plausable deniability"

One more reason I like Space Based Laser? It's kill is cleaner depending on the hit. Fused boards and a melted component will bead/adhere to the main bus and not go flying all over as in kinetic strikes.

Meh, just EMP it and leave it where it is. The ideal solution is to disable it in place so it's not a threat to the targeter. Lasers can always hit fueltanks or other on board combustables, and you've got debris splatter.

Yes--but with enough power--you can snipe at ground targets.

Then who needs carriers fighters, bases, etc.?

No wonder the military hates space.

Surely much of the debris will have lost
orbital velocity?

I haven't been keeping up on my space history, so please forgive me, but has the US developed any space weapons yet that can blow up satellites? I heard somewhere that the US did develop the same thing China tested last week in the 1970s, but I have been unable to verify that claim.

Most of the USA's space weapons you see today have been around as concept or in practical tests for some time and the US hasn't built a new ICBM for decades. High altitude Nukes were detonated over the Pacific but once the public got word that nuclear tests and their fallout had entered the USA's 'food-chain' the green people started to get worried. Russians had their own cold war plans awell one of which was a Salyut space station which was to be manned with a gun and used to shoot satellites. During the 80s the US airforce tested an ASAT missile fired from an F15 to try to strike down a research satellite. Some argue GW's current missile defence plans are nothing more than the dusted off blueprints from Reagan's loved Starwars program, although its still debated how effective this missile shield will ever be.

This is why USA says that any new treaty is necessary? I see that little thing called "reputation" means for you nothing. And are you suggest that all peacy treaties, ban on nuclear weapon testing etc. are worthless? You must live on interesting, if not paranoidal, world. Good that is not my world.

Or simply both possibilities. You would be surprised how sometimes piece of paper can be powerful.

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Butterfly.